Egg-carrier



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

' (No Model.)

J. W. PALMER.

EGG GARRIR. w

Patented Sept. 25, 1883.

R 0 H W 1m L.. fl, .F W quklm m R ,z z z z m w 411111 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN VV. PAMER, .OFPORT REPUBLIC, VIRGINIA..

j EGC-oAR-RIER.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of etters Patent No. 285,429, dated September 25,1883.

Application filed July 27, 1883. `(No model.)

useful Egg-Oarrier, of which the 'following' is a specification, reference being` had 'to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relales to egg crates or`carriers, and has for its objectto produce a crate or carrier which shall possess Superior advantaffcs in point of strength, durability, inexpensiveness, and general efiiciency, and which maybe more conveniently handled than the sluare boxes which are ordinarily used.

To this end my invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts, whi'chwill be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims;

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing` my improved egg-crate with the cover renioved. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3a

-of nails or screws D.

is a Vertical sectional View. Fig. fi is a detail view of the cover detached from the crate. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the fastening Fig. 6 is aperspectivc view of one of thecell-cases; and Fig. 7 is a detail view, showing the construction of the same.

The same'lctters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

A in thedrawings designates t-he box 01' crate, which is octagonal in shape, its sides be` ing' cqual, as shown. The sidesB B are connected by means of thediamond-shaped cleats O O, which are placed in the angles formed by the adjoining sides, which are secured by means The cleats O terminate a short distance from the upper and lower .ends of the sides B, and to their lower ends the bottom E is secured, while their upper ends support the top or cover, as will be presently described. The upper and, if desired, also the lower ends of the sides B are made somewh'a-t tapering. This may be done by bevcling the outside of said sides. Bands F F are placed at the bottom and near the'top of thebox, and these bands may, in case ofshrinkage, be driven upon the box, so as to bind the sides securely together. Two or four of the sides B,located diagonally opposite each other, are provided with recesscs G, di rcctly below the upper band F, which serve as handles, by means of which the crate may be readily'plifted or .manipulaied H designates the cover, which is adapted to fit in the box and rest upon the upper ends of the cleats O. Said cover is provided with cross bars 01' braees I I, which project slig'htly beyond the sides, as will be seen in the drawings. Four of the sides B, forming the crate, are provided with recesses J at their upper ends, to receive the projecting ends of the cross-bars I. I n 'these recesses are placed the fastenings, which consist of st-rips of sheet metal, the ends of which are bent so as 'to form bails K, the ends of which have perforationsL. The bottoms of the recesses J have grooves M.

Nare hingc pins or rods, of wire, which are 'driven through the perforations L into the sides ofthe recesses J, said hinge-pins being` accommodated in the grooves M. In this manner the fastening-bails are vhinged in the recesses J in such a manner that when the cover is' placed in position the said bails may be turned up over the projecting ends of the crossbars I, thereby retaining the cover seeurely in position. It will also be seen by this construction that the cover, when in place, Tet ;l 19tm elymllnea cleats-o, but is adaaionany supported by the ends of the cross-bars I, resting,` in the recesses J.

`Under the bottom of the' crate E is secured a braee-plate, O, which serves to prevent the bottom from cracking, or to connect the parts, if it should be made of more than one piece.

The box or crate A contains the cell-cases, Vwhich in the drawings are designated by fletter I). These are composed of longitudinal strips Q Q and transverse strips R R. The former are provided with equidistant Vertical slits S S, the upper and lower ends of which have diagonal or curved extensions T T, eX- tending in opposite directions. The transversc strips R are provided at their upper and lower edges with equidistant notches U U. To build up or put together the cel1-case the notched upper and lower edges of the strips R R are bent in opposite directions, so as to enable them to be passed through the slits S T in the strips Q until theseveral strips Q register with the notches U in the edges of the strips R. The edges of the latter are then IOO straightened out, thereby bending them away from the extensions T of the slits S, and thus locking the strips firinly together and forining the desired square cells. By this joint, which is simple and easily constructed, the cell-cases are made in a simple and durable inanner, capable of being folded when desired and in capable of being broken down-by ordinary usage. In order to make the cell-cases confornl to the shape of' the box or crate, I c0nstr-get them, as will be seen in the drawings, with two central rows of cells, V V, of such length as to fit between directly opposite sides of the box or crate. Adjoining each side of the central rows are two rows, V V, each niade one cell shorter at each end. Adjoining each onter row, V, is one row, X, one cell shorter at each end, and adjoining the rows X are the end rows, Y, each made two cells shorter at each end. I prefer to make the center rows, V, of ten cells each, the rows XV of eight, the rows X of six, and the rows Y of two cells each. In this manner asyminetrical cell-case is formed, which completely fits my ilnproved octagonal box and leaves 110 waste space. Even the corners between the end cells are essential 'for the purpose of accommodating the cleats C at the angles of the box. Between the several cell-cases in the box or crate I place diaphragms Z, which are cut, as shown, so as to conforin to the interior shape of the box or crate. v

rIlhe cross bars or braces I of the cover, on directly opposite sides, are provided with recesses A2, adapted to receive the edges of the address or shipping card B2, which is preferably segniental in shape, substantially as shown in the drawings. The card (or cards) is secured in place by means of turn-buttons O2 at its outer edges. By this construction the edges of the cards are protected, and the cards may be conveniently reversed, so that they may carry the address of 'the shi'pper on one side and of the consignee on the other, thus enabling the crates to be redirected by simply reversing the cards.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1.. In an egg crate or carrier, the combination of the equal-sided octagonal case, the diamondsshaped cleats arranged in the angles between the sides of the same, the cover'='ar ranged to fit in the said case, and having cross bars or braces extending beyond its sides or edges, and adapted to fit in recesses in the upper edges, of the sidesof the case, and suitable fastenings, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a packing-box the sides of which are provided with recesses at their upper edges, with a cover adaptedto fit in said box, and having cross bars or braces extending beyond its edges, and arranged to fit in the said recesses, and fastening-bails hinged in the said recesses by means of pins accommodated in the bottoms of the said recesses, and extending through perforations in the sides of the fastening-bails into the sides of the said recesses, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with an egg-crate, substantially as described, of the cover having cross bars or braces, as set forth, said crossbars being provided with recesses at their I lower edges, and turn-buttons arranged upon the cover between the ends of the cross bars, substantially as set'forth. a. w

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as niy own I have hereto affixe'd my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN XV. PALMER.

fitnessesz KVM. BAGGER, EDWARD G. SIGGERs. 

